Livingston Schools Appoint New Principal, Assistant Principal

LIVINGSTON, NJ — A new principal and assistant principal are primed to take up their new jobs this week, the Livingston Public School District announced Tuesday.

District administrators said Amro Mohammed has been selected to serve as the new principal at Livingston High School. He currently serves as dean of students; the district will immediately begin a search for a replacement.

Mohammed is expected to begin his new position on July 16. He is replacing Danielle Rosenzweig, who took over as the district’s director of special education at the elementary level on July 1.

“As a Marine officer, I learned the privilege of leadership is a profound responsibility, one never to be taken lightly,” Mohammed said. “To be entrusted to guide and influence young people, and foster their growth is humbling.”

“As principal of Livingston High School, I will be dedicated to leading with empathy, building on our successes, and helping our students achieve their goals,” he added.

In addition, Charles Raphael was selected to take over as Heritage Middle School’s new assistant principal. He currently serves as LPS Social Studies Supervisor (7-12).

Raphael will begin his new position on Aug. 1. He is replacing Kristin Fullam, who will be leaving at the end of this month. The district will immediately begin the search for someone to fill his shoes, with hopes that a new supervisor can be named before the start of the new school year.

“Livingston Public Schools has truly become a home for me over my career, and I am grateful to continue my journey of learning and growth with such a supportive and inspiring community,” Raphael said.

The Livingston Board of Education is expected to approve the pair of appointments during Tuesday evening’s public meeting, administrators said.

The district provided the following background about each educator, with Interim Superintendent of Schools Daniel Fishbein praising their qualifications.

AMRO MOHAMMED

After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature, Mr. Mohammed earned a Master of Arts Degree in Education, Administration & Supervision, and an Education Specialist degree, all from Saint Peter’s University. He also holds a Master of Arts degree in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Air War College.

For the past seven years, Mr. Mohammed has served as the Dean of Students at LHS. In this position he has been an active member of the school’s administrative team, promoting a positive school environment while dealing effectively with students on non-academic issues (such as discipline, attendance, student activities and I&RS), and assisting in the development and administration of an effective, safe and secure school environment. His responsibilities included empowering teachers to work with challenging students, leading and supervising the in-school suspension and reflection room, and leading the School Safety and School Climate Teams to conduct regular assessments. Mr. Mohammed also helped to develop and lead the Culturally Responsive Classroom Committee, student equity work, and the advisory program, with the goal of creating safe, predictable, and nurturing classroom environments for all Lancers.

As the high school’s Anti-Bullying Specialist, he handled all aspects of Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying (HIB) allegations and investigations, including facilitating support, education, and counseling for both targets and perpetrators.

As the district’s Affirmative Action Officer, he trained district personnel regarding Affirmative Action, Equal Employment Opportunity, Healthy Workplace Environment, and Sexual Harassment and Discrimination, and investigated all reported violations of Healthy Workplace Environment policies. In addition, he conducted observations and evaluations of faculty and staff using the Danielson Framework of Teaching, supervised the district Student Assistance Counselors (SACs), School Equity Coach and Student Equity Advisor, and led the Building Threat Assessment Program for LHS.

Prior to joining LPS, Mr. Mohammed was a Teacher of English before accepting a position as a Crisis Intervention Dean at Wm. L. Dickinson High School in Jersey City.

Before pursuing a career in education, Mr. Mohammed served in the United States Marine Corps for 28 years, retiring in 2021 as a Lieutenant Colonel. Mr. Mohammed served in peacetime, as well as during combat operations, during his nearly three decades of military service.

CHARLES RAPHAEL

After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from William Paterson University, Mr. Raphael earned a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from Montclair State University.

Mr. Raphael has served as the district’s Supervisor of Social Studies (7-12) since 2019. His responsibilities included supervising and mentoring a team of 22 social studies teachers, managing the Social Studies Department budget, and collaborating with the PreK-6 Social Studies Supervisor to create listening sessions and provide teachers with resources to meet NJ State mandates. During his tenure in the position, he has organized and facilitated two impactful grade-level assemblies featuring distinguished speakers including a Rwandan Genocide survivor and a former Japanese-American WWII internee, and leading Professional Development (PD) sessions on topics such as PBL, Bias in AI, and the Power of Storytelling in the Classroom.

Prior to being appointed as the district’s Supervisor of Social Studies (7-12), Mr. Raphael was a social studies teacher at LHS for nine years.

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